Helsinki, Finland, 2009-03-23
The photos taken by the people who were let between the band and the crowd for 3 songs - I wonder when/if THOSE will appear on the internet. Because Andrew did some lovely posing for them, and even smiled, and they had those big good cameras and (presumably) the ability to use them properly, so I suppose there must be some seriously good shots there.
Oh well... today I'm back at work and still not over it. And although I only slept for 2 hours tonight and not at all on the previous night, all the people here keep telling me that I look rested and radiating.
Those youtube links are great but they can't reflect the reasons why it was such a great gig. Not for those who weren't there. But I know that there are people out there who will undestand what I mean if I compare this one to Oslo and Stockholm (I mean, people who were in Oslo and Stockholm too, obviously). So - Oslo was very decent and I'm grateful that it happened at all, but for obvious reasons there was not much interaction between the band and crowd. The hologram (® eotunun
) didn't catch the right angle of light, so it seemed a bit flat. (As in Hamburg too, sometimes when a day is cloudy a hologram just doesn't show its full potential, it just happens). In Stockholm it was much better, we did have the sparkles flying in the air all around didn't we. Better angle, better light. Now, if it was "sparkles all around here and there" in Stockholm, then what happened in Helsinki was thunderbolts, aimed and meant and hitting their targets with terrific precision. 
The entire neverending worlds of rainbows inside there. And you can look at it, but you can't get in. *sigh*
Ok. Time to get back on earth for a while. FFS, I'm at work and I have tons of papers to sort out here before I go away again next week.
Oh well... today I'm back at work and still not over it. And although I only slept for 2 hours tonight and not at all on the previous night, all the people here keep telling me that I look rested and radiating.
Those youtube links are great but they can't reflect the reasons why it was such a great gig. Not for those who weren't there. But I know that there are people out there who will undestand what I mean if I compare this one to Oslo and Stockholm (I mean, people who were in Oslo and Stockholm too, obviously). So - Oslo was very decent and I'm grateful that it happened at all, but for obvious reasons there was not much interaction between the band and crowd. The hologram (® eotunun
) didn't catch the right angle of light, so it seemed a bit flat. (As in Hamburg too, sometimes when a day is cloudy a hologram just doesn't show its full potential, it just happens). In Stockholm it was much better, we did have the sparkles flying in the air all around didn't we. Better angle, better light. Now, if it was "sparkles all around here and there" in Stockholm, then what happened in Helsinki was thunderbolts, aimed and meant and hitting their targets with terrific precision. The entire neverending worlds of rainbows inside there. And you can look at it, but you can't get in. *sigh*Ok. Time to get back on earth for a while. FFS, I'm at work and I have tons of papers to sort out here before I go away again next week.
-
shadowsembrace
- Road Kill
- Posts: 19
- Joined: 24 Jan 2009, 11:18
Was an amazing gig!!!! First time I'd ever seen Sisters live, and it was worth the wait!!!
I too was suprised by the size of the venue, seemed very tiny.
Was standing 2nd row close to the middle, with messed up blue/green hair.
Haha Camy I saw you get the bottle thrown to you, was pretty cool!!
I'm looking at going to Prague for the gig now, possibly Warsaw also!!
I too was suprised by the size of the venue, seemed very tiny.
Was standing 2nd row close to the middle, with messed up blue/green hair.
Haha Camy I saw you get the bottle thrown to you, was pretty cool!!
I'm looking at going to Prague for the gig now, possibly Warsaw also!!
Cheers!shadowsembrace wrote:Was standing 2nd row close to the middle, with messed up blue/green hair.
In fact I thought it was more "handed in" than "thrown", well it did spend a second in the air but it was most definitely meant for Camy, it wasn't just thrown in this direction by chance.Haha Camy I saw you get the bottle thrown to you, was pretty cool!!
And the smile, and the salute... This is the Eldritch I love. 
oh, now i remember ben's guitar pick in amsterdam on top night out. it was specially for Eva but she was in some kind of sisters trans_emma_ wrote:In fact I thought it was more "handed in" than "thrown", well it did spend a second in the air but it was most definitely meant for Camy, it wasn't just thrown in this direction by chance.shadowsembrace wrote:Haha Camy I saw you get the bottle thrown to you, was pretty cool!!
and my beloved didn't notice that and took it with cold blood. we're still full of remorse 
but we've got that pick 
long live rock'n'roll
-
7anthea7
- Slight Overbomber
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 01:40
- Location: beyond the event horizon
- Contact:
He what???_emma_ wrote:...Andrew did some lovely posing for them, and even smiled...
Will wonders never cease...
Who can begin conventional amiability the first thing in the morning?
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
Standard procedure for accredited photojournalists._emma_ wrote:The photos taken by the people who were let between the band and the crowd for 3 songs - I wonder when/if THOSE will appear on the internet.
Some of those pics may appear in various Finnish media outlets.
From Helsingin Sanomat (Helsinki Times), the biggest local newspaper. The review included therein was generally favorable, although it did raise the point that the sound was uneven, among other things.
Below are rather good shots I found from a blog.
found this pics few day ago on Flickr - here's much more of this great pics. ( i didn't paste this here 
)
)long live rock'n'roll
i've searched too and also asked around a bit among fans but with no luck. sorry. :/_emma_ wrote:Just spent an hour searching through google.fi, but didn't find much. If any local people could find some useful links and post them here I'd be most grateful.copper wrote:Some of those pics may appear in various Finnish media outlets.
my own pics here (but they are all taken a bit far):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36543214@N ... 689958610/
but here're some nice pics from the gig:
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... mercy.html
& some pics + an interview with chris catalyst here (in finnish only, sorry):
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... alyst.html
(thanks Grendel for the last two links)
-
Moakahontas
- Gonzoid Amphetamine Filth
- Posts: 487
- Joined: 31 Jan 2009, 18:09
2late wrote:i've searched too and also asked around a bit among fans but with no luck. sorry. :/_emma_ wrote:Just spent an hour searching through google.fi, but didn't find much. If any local people could find some useful links and post them here I'd be most grateful.copper wrote:Some of those pics may appear in various Finnish media outlets.
my own pics here (but they are all taken a bit far):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36543214@N ... 689958610/
but here're some nice pics from the gig:
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... mercy.html
& some pics + an interview with chris catalyst here (in finnish only, sorry):
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... alyst.html
(thanks Grendel for the last two links)
Many thanks for that! Now I have a reason why I´ve learned a few years ago the finnish language!!
-
7anthea7
- Slight Overbomber
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 01:40
- Location: beyond the event horizon
- Contact:
Thanks for that, 2late (and Grendel, whoever you may be...).2late wrote:but here're some nice pics from the gig:
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... mercy.html
& some pics + an interview with chris catalyst here (in finnish only, sorry):
http://www.lumonetti.fi/portaali/viihde ... alyst.html
(thanks Grendel for the last two links)
Google Translate, here I come - unless Moakahontas feels up to the task of converting it to English...?
Who can begin conventional amiability the first thing in the morning?
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
-
7anthea7
- Slight Overbomber
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 01:40
- Location: beyond the event horizon
- Contact:
That would be most awesome - I'm still laughing my arse off over some of Google's more bizarre 'translations'...copper wrote:I'll see if I can whip up a translation of the interview.
Shouldn't be a stretch.
Who can begin conventional amiability the first thing in the morning?
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
It is the hour of savage instincts and natural tendencies.
--Elizabeth von Arnim
First half. Chris mentions a new song they've written, called Steel, which is probably Still.
---
The Sisters of Mercy – An Interview with Chris Catalyst
One of the more mysterious figures in contemporary rock, Andrew Eldritch, the British ungoth from The Sisters of Mercy, turned his back on the mainstream media and the entertainment industry as a whole. Nowadays, he simply doesn’t grant interviews. Which is why he decided to pass his most recent guitarist in the hands of some news-hungry journalists. Thus, the only opportunity to glance past the curtain of this cult outfit was to be Chris Catalyst.
Following his enlisting to The Sisters in 2006, Chris has already played with Andrew at various top venues and festivals all over the world. Still, can he really be described as a fully-fledged member of the band? Is he the right person to represent the legacy of the band? Can his three years of active duty be compared to the 20-year career of the band?
Chris himself seems even overtly confident, considering his musical background in electro-industrial and rockabilly. He oftentimes dodges the questions to focus on his own band instead of the Sisters. Meanwhile, he’s not in a position to comment the Sisters song lyrics or the person of Andrew Eldritch himself. As such, this interview didn’t quite work out as it was supposed to. We were supposed to meet up with one of the most influential rock bands of our time, and ended up with a chappy named Chris, who’d got lucky at some point. Because of his fluke, he now shares the tour bus with the elusive Eldritch.
How are you?
Chris: Fine, thank you. (laughs)
Why doesn’t Andrew give any interviews on the eve of the show?
Chris: Well… Andrew’s preparing for the show. He never does pre-show interviews. See, performers have different habits. Some, like Andrew, kid around about the fact that they need to ‘psych’ themselves up, if you can call it that. He’s focusing. I do nothing of the sort, I just get up and play. We all have our habits – you can’t call it a ritual or anything, he’s just preparing… If Andrew would agree to every interview, he wouldn’t have the time to do the shows.
Andrew is often mentioned as the Axl Rose of alternative music, being more interested in the business side of things than the art itself… What are your impressions?
Chris: I don’t think that’s right. He’s smart, yes, but I fail to see the comparison towards Axl. Andrew’s not as offensive. Axl’s a world-class idiot and that’s the end of it… And Axl, if you read this, forgive me, but that’s the way it goes. I’d never compare the two. Where do you get this stuff anyway?
Have you seen the contract the photojournalists are made to sign before attending your show? Some parts in that are quite offensive!
Chris: Well, that’s because Andrew’s been in this quite popular act for about 30 years. Unfortunately, some of the journalists he’s met have been idiots. Also, there are idiots at the record labels, as well as among photographers. I’m not pointing the finger at you now (laughs), but it’s a bit tricky, because there’s always a doofus behaving badly. A contract like this is simply self-protection. And Andrew, he’s not the kind of guy who’d like to sell out his biography or that everything in his life would be readily available for public consumption… Get it?
Someone once said that disagreements with Andrew are inevitable…
Chris: Well now, I wouldn’t say that… Disagreements are pretty vital in a group like this. When you got 10-15 people crammed in the same bus, you’re bound to have your share of nagging. But I got to tell you, that stuff happens a lot less with this band than my previous ones. We all get along well.
How did you hook up with them? Friends or just hired hands?
Chris: Friends, absolutely. Andrew and I have a lot in common, and we get along really well. Ben and Andrew click as well. We’re all friends. Without even a bit of camaderie involved, this job would get real hairy.
You and Ben are rather new to The Sisters. Do you consider yourself as an equal partner or a temporary aid?
Chris: Hm. Well, we all have are own responsibilities. I do the interviews, we work out the setlists together, but all and all, Andrew’s the boss. The rest of us can pass our two cents, though. It’s pretty democratic. There are even two of my songs in the setlist. I can see why some people may view us as hired hands, but personally, I just disagree with them (laughs). As far as the songwriting goes, everybody’s involved…
So, what kind of songs have you written for the Sisters?
Chris: We’ve done a few. One of them will be played tonight, a new song called Arms. Andrew and I have been working on it for some time. The music’s been done for about six months, and we got the lyrics together in between the American and European legs of the tour.
Then there’s a new song called Steel (likely 'Still', -c.). Andrew wrote the chorus and I wrote the verses. Collaboration, see… A slowly functioning band, but a band regardless. We’re really not giving up on all the riffs we’re putting together.
---
The Sisters of Mercy – An Interview with Chris Catalyst
One of the more mysterious figures in contemporary rock, Andrew Eldritch, the British ungoth from The Sisters of Mercy, turned his back on the mainstream media and the entertainment industry as a whole. Nowadays, he simply doesn’t grant interviews. Which is why he decided to pass his most recent guitarist in the hands of some news-hungry journalists. Thus, the only opportunity to glance past the curtain of this cult outfit was to be Chris Catalyst.
Following his enlisting to The Sisters in 2006, Chris has already played with Andrew at various top venues and festivals all over the world. Still, can he really be described as a fully-fledged member of the band? Is he the right person to represent the legacy of the band? Can his three years of active duty be compared to the 20-year career of the band?
Chris himself seems even overtly confident, considering his musical background in electro-industrial and rockabilly. He oftentimes dodges the questions to focus on his own band instead of the Sisters. Meanwhile, he’s not in a position to comment the Sisters song lyrics or the person of Andrew Eldritch himself. As such, this interview didn’t quite work out as it was supposed to. We were supposed to meet up with one of the most influential rock bands of our time, and ended up with a chappy named Chris, who’d got lucky at some point. Because of his fluke, he now shares the tour bus with the elusive Eldritch.
How are you?
Chris: Fine, thank you. (laughs)
Why doesn’t Andrew give any interviews on the eve of the show?
Chris: Well… Andrew’s preparing for the show. He never does pre-show interviews. See, performers have different habits. Some, like Andrew, kid around about the fact that they need to ‘psych’ themselves up, if you can call it that. He’s focusing. I do nothing of the sort, I just get up and play. We all have our habits – you can’t call it a ritual or anything, he’s just preparing… If Andrew would agree to every interview, he wouldn’t have the time to do the shows.
Andrew is often mentioned as the Axl Rose of alternative music, being more interested in the business side of things than the art itself… What are your impressions?
Chris: I don’t think that’s right. He’s smart, yes, but I fail to see the comparison towards Axl. Andrew’s not as offensive. Axl’s a world-class idiot and that’s the end of it… And Axl, if you read this, forgive me, but that’s the way it goes. I’d never compare the two. Where do you get this stuff anyway?
Have you seen the contract the photojournalists are made to sign before attending your show? Some parts in that are quite offensive!
Chris: Well, that’s because Andrew’s been in this quite popular act for about 30 years. Unfortunately, some of the journalists he’s met have been idiots. Also, there are idiots at the record labels, as well as among photographers. I’m not pointing the finger at you now (laughs), but it’s a bit tricky, because there’s always a doofus behaving badly. A contract like this is simply self-protection. And Andrew, he’s not the kind of guy who’d like to sell out his biography or that everything in his life would be readily available for public consumption… Get it?
Someone once said that disagreements with Andrew are inevitable…
Chris: Well now, I wouldn’t say that… Disagreements are pretty vital in a group like this. When you got 10-15 people crammed in the same bus, you’re bound to have your share of nagging. But I got to tell you, that stuff happens a lot less with this band than my previous ones. We all get along well.
How did you hook up with them? Friends or just hired hands?
Chris: Friends, absolutely. Andrew and I have a lot in common, and we get along really well. Ben and Andrew click as well. We’re all friends. Without even a bit of camaderie involved, this job would get real hairy.
You and Ben are rather new to The Sisters. Do you consider yourself as an equal partner or a temporary aid?
Chris: Hm. Well, we all have are own responsibilities. I do the interviews, we work out the setlists together, but all and all, Andrew’s the boss. The rest of us can pass our two cents, though. It’s pretty democratic. There are even two of my songs in the setlist. I can see why some people may view us as hired hands, but personally, I just disagree with them (laughs). As far as the songwriting goes, everybody’s involved…
So, what kind of songs have you written for the Sisters?
Chris: We’ve done a few. One of them will be played tonight, a new song called Arms. Andrew and I have been working on it for some time. The music’s been done for about six months, and we got the lyrics together in between the American and European legs of the tour.
Then there’s a new song called Steel (likely 'Still', -c.). Andrew wrote the chorus and I wrote the verses. Collaboration, see… A slowly functioning band, but a band regardless. We’re really not giving up on all the riffs we’re putting together.
Last edited by copper on 18 May 2009, 13:56, edited 2 times in total.
-
Evan Von Himmel
- Road Kill
- Posts: 52
- Joined: 28 Jan 2009, 09:58
- Location: Parallax
- Contact:
Thanx for posting.
Girls in crisis, ultra-hipped
Weird as Isis, wide as Egypt
Weird as Isis, wide as Egypt
Part II.
--
What are the lyrics of the new songs about? Does Andrew have something particular in mind?
Chris: You’d have to ask him. I have a couple of ideas, but I can’t talk on his behalf on this.
What makes Andrew laugh?
Chris: All kinds of things! He’s a real funny guy. I think we’re all pretty funny in our own ways. So, what gets a laugh out of him? Same sort of stuff that I enjoy. Ok, this is a bit inside information. The last time we watched a movie together, we were both laughing our asses off. It was the South Park movie; Bigger, Better [Longer –c.] & Uncut. It was a riot!
What about this little drinking accident, when you were in Greece with Andrew and your mother?
Chris: How do you know about that? How does he know about that?!? Well, it’s no big secret or anything, but… (laughs) My mom’s the kind of youthful and energetic person. She likes to travel and all that, so she came over to Greece. The crew was having a few days off and I went out with her in the evening. As it turned out, we bumped into Simon and Andrew. My mom dared Andrew into a drinking contest. Not the best of ideas, since mom’s not so great in that stuff. We basically drank her under the table and I almost had to carry her back to the hotel. So there.
Andrew’s a very influental person. In what ways you could say he’s influenced you and Ben?
Chris: He’s taught Ben a whole lot. Ben comes from a more metal background, musically… Hey, you didn’t even take my picture when I did this (gives the horns). Should’ve shot it, at least. Andrew got him into soul and blues a lot. Al Green, Take Me to the River and all that. Andrew really manages to expand Ben’s musical horizons. With all due respect to Ben, my personal horizon is pretty wide as it is, but I’ve learned a lot from this kind of music and these kinds of tours. It’s all so different from what I’m accustomed to.
How does the stage show with The Sisters feel like?
Chris: Great. Just great. What else could it be, even if the gig wouldn’t be sold out?
It is today.
Chris: Yeah! We’ve done a lot different shows, some have been big, some have been small… There’s no particular thing coming up, but I once caught myself thinking, “Stop being an ass, and look at those guys – they’re having fun. Consider yourself lucky, you’re out there doing the thing you like so much…�
The last places I’ve worked include a pub, where I was a busboy. It was a good place, though, and the other one was a radio station. Now I’ve got the gig I’ve always wanted, so it’s an honor as well as a privilege.
Why do you hold Jürgen of Pitchfork in such great regard?
Chris: Jürgen’s just a great guy and the funniest German alive. He always finds the time to converse with me. I haven’t seen Pitchfork live yet… Been only listening them on MySpace; so far…
Ok, when the tour wraps up, what are your plans?
Chris: When the tour wraps up, I’ve got a lot of gigs from April to June with my own band. We’re on the brink of putting a single out, and I’ve worked real hard on that one. After that, I’d like to try out photography. I could do well in that. I look into a lot of band photos and think to myself, ‘I could’ve snapped that one, easy.’ And since I have a pretty base knowledge of the industry, I know how things unfold on stage, I know whom to look out for at which point.
When you look at band pics nowadays, you feel as if anyone could be the photographer. All you really need is a camera and a MySpace. It’s easy, even if most of the shots are rubbish regardless. That’s why the good stuff stands out, and that’s why I think I should take a stab at it. Even so, I’d need to study the technical side a bit more. My girlfriend’s a photographer and she’s taught me some tricks, so I’m pretty stoked about it. And also, it’s been so long since I last learned something new, I could even take classes on it. I’m really set to do something creative.
Being in this band has offered me so many opportunities, which I would’nt have gotten any other way. Even now, I’m in Helsinki on a Monday night and it’s snowing outside. Isn’t that great? I’m pretty lucky, actually. Next week, we’re off to Russia and last year, we spent six months in the US. Therefore, when the tour wraps up, I don’t need to get a job. I can go out and study if I’d like. Be it photography or a new language, who knows.
Ben’s got some stuff with Night By Night, his own band. They made this really good demo and have shows lined up. Simon’s got a band as well, a great one, even. Andrew spends time with his cats, because he’s been separated from them for a while, like six weeks or something…
Do you see Andrew as a happy person?
Chris: I don’t think I’m able to give you an answer. No offense, it’d be easy, but with all due respect, I don’t think it’s any of your business.
So…
Chris: But yeah, Andrew’s kind of happy.
Thank you.
What do you see the thing that makes this band tick, and draws fans to see them? What’s your big secret?
Chris: Oh, you mean the ’G’ word? (laughs) I kid, I kid!
I’ve been thinking about it and here’s what I’ve come up with. Me, I’m a bit on the sidelines, because no-one’s coming to see me personally, they’re here to see Andrew. I understand that completely and it’s alright. I wish I could bottle up some of his charm and possess it. I’m not exactly sure why, but people definitely still wish to see the Sisters. It may have something to do with the mysteriousness. Plus, it’s a good band, both in the studio and in a live setting. We have some good songs, we’re carved from a slightly different wood than the rest and we have something to say. There’s plenty of reasons to see us already.
On top of those things, there are some I’d like to keep to myself. Because Andrew’s generally so hard to reach, people have a desire to learn more about him. But Andrew’s really guarding his privacy. There’s plenty of people out there willing to sell their soul for TV or radio, so it’s kind of refreshing to see someone go in the opposite direction. It seems to me like, when you get creative, there’s always someone out there willing to hear the story of your life. I have no secrets and I doubt my life’d be of much interest anyway… It’s so easy to pick up someone’s address from the Internet and so on. The world’s a pretty scary place overall, particularly with the modern technology being what it is today. If you’d feel like getting my home address, you wouldn’t have to break a sweat.
How do you feel about the British national anthem, God Save the Queen?
Chris: What?! I don’t like it. I mean, the melody’s alright, but I’m not a big fan of the lyrics. Can’t find myself to agree with them.
--
What are the lyrics of the new songs about? Does Andrew have something particular in mind?
Chris: You’d have to ask him. I have a couple of ideas, but I can’t talk on his behalf on this.
What makes Andrew laugh?
Chris: All kinds of things! He’s a real funny guy. I think we’re all pretty funny in our own ways. So, what gets a laugh out of him? Same sort of stuff that I enjoy. Ok, this is a bit inside information. The last time we watched a movie together, we were both laughing our asses off. It was the South Park movie; Bigger, Better [Longer –c.] & Uncut. It was a riot!
What about this little drinking accident, when you were in Greece with Andrew and your mother?
Chris: How do you know about that? How does he know about that?!? Well, it’s no big secret or anything, but… (laughs) My mom’s the kind of youthful and energetic person. She likes to travel and all that, so she came over to Greece. The crew was having a few days off and I went out with her in the evening. As it turned out, we bumped into Simon and Andrew. My mom dared Andrew into a drinking contest. Not the best of ideas, since mom’s not so great in that stuff. We basically drank her under the table and I almost had to carry her back to the hotel. So there.
Andrew’s a very influental person. In what ways you could say he’s influenced you and Ben?
Chris: He’s taught Ben a whole lot. Ben comes from a more metal background, musically… Hey, you didn’t even take my picture when I did this (gives the horns). Should’ve shot it, at least. Andrew got him into soul and blues a lot. Al Green, Take Me to the River and all that. Andrew really manages to expand Ben’s musical horizons. With all due respect to Ben, my personal horizon is pretty wide as it is, but I’ve learned a lot from this kind of music and these kinds of tours. It’s all so different from what I’m accustomed to.
How does the stage show with The Sisters feel like?
Chris: Great. Just great. What else could it be, even if the gig wouldn’t be sold out?
It is today.
Chris: Yeah! We’ve done a lot different shows, some have been big, some have been small… There’s no particular thing coming up, but I once caught myself thinking, “Stop being an ass, and look at those guys – they’re having fun. Consider yourself lucky, you’re out there doing the thing you like so much…�
The last places I’ve worked include a pub, where I was a busboy. It was a good place, though, and the other one was a radio station. Now I’ve got the gig I’ve always wanted, so it’s an honor as well as a privilege.
Why do you hold Jürgen of Pitchfork in such great regard?
Chris: Jürgen’s just a great guy and the funniest German alive. He always finds the time to converse with me. I haven’t seen Pitchfork live yet… Been only listening them on MySpace; so far…
Ok, when the tour wraps up, what are your plans?
Chris: When the tour wraps up, I’ve got a lot of gigs from April to June with my own band. We’re on the brink of putting a single out, and I’ve worked real hard on that one. After that, I’d like to try out photography. I could do well in that. I look into a lot of band photos and think to myself, ‘I could’ve snapped that one, easy.’ And since I have a pretty base knowledge of the industry, I know how things unfold on stage, I know whom to look out for at which point.
When you look at band pics nowadays, you feel as if anyone could be the photographer. All you really need is a camera and a MySpace. It’s easy, even if most of the shots are rubbish regardless. That’s why the good stuff stands out, and that’s why I think I should take a stab at it. Even so, I’d need to study the technical side a bit more. My girlfriend’s a photographer and she’s taught me some tricks, so I’m pretty stoked about it. And also, it’s been so long since I last learned something new, I could even take classes on it. I’m really set to do something creative.
Being in this band has offered me so many opportunities, which I would’nt have gotten any other way. Even now, I’m in Helsinki on a Monday night and it’s snowing outside. Isn’t that great? I’m pretty lucky, actually. Next week, we’re off to Russia and last year, we spent six months in the US. Therefore, when the tour wraps up, I don’t need to get a job. I can go out and study if I’d like. Be it photography or a new language, who knows.
Ben’s got some stuff with Night By Night, his own band. They made this really good demo and have shows lined up. Simon’s got a band as well, a great one, even. Andrew spends time with his cats, because he’s been separated from them for a while, like six weeks or something…
Do you see Andrew as a happy person?
Chris: I don’t think I’m able to give you an answer. No offense, it’d be easy, but with all due respect, I don’t think it’s any of your business.
So…
Chris: But yeah, Andrew’s kind of happy.
Thank you.
What do you see the thing that makes this band tick, and draws fans to see them? What’s your big secret?
Chris: Oh, you mean the ’G’ word? (laughs) I kid, I kid!
I’ve been thinking about it and here’s what I’ve come up with. Me, I’m a bit on the sidelines, because no-one’s coming to see me personally, they’re here to see Andrew. I understand that completely and it’s alright. I wish I could bottle up some of his charm and possess it. I’m not exactly sure why, but people definitely still wish to see the Sisters. It may have something to do with the mysteriousness. Plus, it’s a good band, both in the studio and in a live setting. We have some good songs, we’re carved from a slightly different wood than the rest and we have something to say. There’s plenty of reasons to see us already.
On top of those things, there are some I’d like to keep to myself. Because Andrew’s generally so hard to reach, people have a desire to learn more about him. But Andrew’s really guarding his privacy. There’s plenty of people out there willing to sell their soul for TV or radio, so it’s kind of refreshing to see someone go in the opposite direction. It seems to me like, when you get creative, there’s always someone out there willing to hear the story of your life. I have no secrets and I doubt my life’d be of much interest anyway… It’s so easy to pick up someone’s address from the Internet and so on. The world’s a pretty scary place overall, particularly with the modern technology being what it is today. If you’d feel like getting my home address, you wouldn’t have to break a sweat.
How do you feel about the British national anthem, God Save the Queen?
Chris: What?! I don’t like it. I mean, the melody’s alright, but I’m not a big fan of the lyrics. Can’t find myself to agree with them.